Friday

It is Christmas morning and what better time to write about this most wonderful time of year where even the greediest of the greedy are forced to place the words "Peace" and "Joy" in their store fronts. Some call it "Christmas" others "The Holidays" and a few of us, "The Winter's Soltice." Whatever the title, the Christian's believe they own it as they do all the other scared sights of ours they have buried over the years; and so, I feel I must give onto Caesar that which is his: “Christology.”

First, if you belief Christ is more than a distorted recount of history used to gain power in the world, then you are probably reading the wrong blog. I for one, however, do believe that this “Christ” thing you speak of is a phase to which is finally coming to an end and once it does, we will return to the ancient wisdom we all know is in us. I base this reasoning on a few things, but for time sake, I will narrow it to one: it was around 331/332 AD that the world had its last Pagan leader (Emperor Julian of Rome) and how since this time the Christian church slowly stripped us of the knowledge and powers we once had which gave us the world of poverty and illiteracy which we are only now fully understanding. Hence, I bring you the true meaning of Christmas: Christology.

The first Christology was developed by Paul, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. Paul conceived of Jesus as the Christ, a pre-existent divine being who had descended into man to save humankind from the powers of law, sin, and death. The resurrected Christ was raised up to sit at the right hand of God, and would return at some point in the future to judge humankind.

Since the time of Paul, innumerable Christologies have been conceived. They are complex and their history has been fraught with controversy. Early Christologies focused on Jesus as the incarnation of Logos (God or the Ultimate Reality) and not as the historical man. Christological controversies of the Patristic Age (which concerns the lives, writings, and doctrines of the Fathers of Christianity) usually focus on the questioning of the humanity and/or divinity of Jesus. These included Gnosticism as the major christian deviation in the second century, from which evolved Docetism, which held that Christ only appeared to be human. Arianism denied that the divinity of Jesus preexisted as the Son of God. Apollinarianism held that preexisting divinity replaced the human spirit of the human Jesus. The church denounced such teachings as heresies, usually by statements from formal councils.

Christologies of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation placed great emphasis on the meaning of Christ’s passion and crucifixion. During the Enlightenment in the eighteenth century, Jesus came to be regarded as a moral teacher; and in the nineteenth century interest returned to the historical Jesus. More modern Christologies examine both the historical Jesus and Jesus as the absolute bringer of salvation and, in his death, the definitive Word of God. Some modern Christologies start “from below” rather than “from above,” finding Jesus first to be truly human, and then discovering his divinity in and through his humanity.

Lively debates center on the “dilution” of Christian orthodoxy by liberal theologians in America. Michael Dummet at Oxford points to an apparent consensus among teachers of Catholic theology in American seminaries that Jesus died without believing that he was Christ of the Son of God; that he knew nothing of the Trinity; that he knew from his mother who his natural father was; that he taught the imminent arrival of a messianic figure called the Son of Man but never claimed that this was himself. They are teaching, Dummet observes, that when Jesus died, his body remained in the tomb and decomposed there.

Newer Christologist indicate less emphasis on biblical sources and more importance being given to scientific, psychological, and social considerations. Modern Christologies undoubtedly will respond to the renewed interest in mythology, such as developed by Joseph Campbell...

So, as you can see, Christ is a moving target, and in a few years, after it is proven that there are other forms of beings in the universe, I’m sure Christ will be claimed as the driver. What really sucks, is the only proof we have is he was a very Zen guy.

Monday

"I believe my interest in the occult was born out of a curiosity in the
narratives of cultural outsiders," McVetty explained to The Huffington
Post. "I have always had a mysterious attraction to the worlds these
groups built around secrets, rules and symbols as a way to exist outside
of the mainstream."

These are the words of Occult Artist Joseph McVetty. Here are some of his images:

Friday

A pendulum can provide a quick and portable oracle for the witch. However, it only answers questions with "yes" or "no," and it only answers for the present, so remember that the answer is subject to change with time, or with a change of perception.

A pendulum should be small and relatively lightweight. A crystal bead is ideal. It should be just heavy enough to swing freely from its cord. The pendulum cord can be made of thin string, embroidery silk, fishing line or even a slender jewelry chain, as long as it is light enough to swing freely, strong enough not to break easily, and flexible enough not to kink or readily form knots. The cord should be approximately ten inches long. If you want it longer or shorter, you will know after a few rounds of questions. Some New Age and occult shops sell ready-made pendulums which are fine if they have not been used before.

Always cleanse and consecrate your pendulum when you get it (or make it) before its first use. Keep it on your altar, preferably wrapped in some favorite little cloth or pouch. You may want to carry it around with you in your pocket or purse. Try to keep it wrapped to keep out distracting vibrations, and do not let anyone else use it. Others may ask it questions, but you are always the one who holds it.

To use it, hold the pendulum cord lightly between thumb and forefinger. Ask your question in a form which is suitably answered with a "yes" or "no." The query may be aloud or silent. Do not move your hand. The pendulum will move by itself (that is the whole idea.) Experiment for a while to determine how it works for you. A helpful technique is to ask the pendulum "What is your movement for a 'yes'?; next, ask it "What is your movement for a 'no'?. This should be repeated several times until you are sure of your pendulum's response. The movements will appear to be combined if the matter is not yet decided, or if the answer is literally "yes and no" or just plain, stupid.

How does it work? Some say there is a special spirit of the pendulum. Another theory is that the user plugs into the Collective Unconscious, where all knowledge and answers reside. Another: we each tap out own inner wisdom when we concentrate on the pendulum's swing.

Wednesday

We live in two worlds: The World of Form and the Invisible world. In this case, the World of Form is manifest as our planet, Earth. The Invisible World includes "Everywhere" else. The witch's magic is done with the conscious use of Both Worlds. But our goal is to move and to live perfectly and easily between the Worlds -- always.

The magic of the witch connects the Cosmic to the Earth. Witch magic is visible, tangible, and practical. But the Overview is essential.

Thus, we work in linear time, using The Law of Cause and Effect. We work with linear time, knowing full well that time is not necessarily linear, but all-at-once. All time coexists, and it is because we are aware of the Overview that we are able to see the future, and to work magic forwards (and backwards) in linear time.

We work with the World of Form, and in it our magic manifests to the five senses. Our techniques also employ the five senses...even though we know full well that space is not defined by what we touch, see, hear, smell or taste. We know that all space coexists, limited only by perception. With the Overview, our perception is the "sixth" sense -- the Spirit, represented in the pentagram by the Circle which encompasses All.

For Earth Magic, we use words, thoughts, images, ideas and rituals to activate our work. We employ the basic, standard occult Principles to connect the Worlds. We follow the basic Words of Power techniques.

1. There is One Power.
2. The Power includes All.
3. We are all perfect microcosms of the Power (Thus we are linked to all beings).
4. Every being has Free Will and all work is for the good of all.
5. As microcosms of the One Power which includes All, we draw upon whichever aspect of the
Power we wish to use, for whatever goals we state.
6. We affirm that the work goes out into The Law of Cause and Effect, and that it is done.

We follow this sequence of ideas, with one important difference: the use of Alignments. An Alignment is the direct connection which can be drawn between Deity and witch. This powerful link in effect combines steps 2, 3, and 5.

The purpose of drawing Alignments is to identify ourselves so thoroughly with whatever aspect of the Power we have chosen (specifically aspects of The Goddess and The God), that we do not have to perform Words of Power step-by-step. We can "ask" the Deities for use of Their Power...because we have already made that Power our own and earned it.

Of course, if we have not earned it, it does not come through to us.

Further, we trust the Deities perfectly, thus trusting ourselves as Their Incarnate Forms of Earth. So we do not specify forms for the manifestation of our work. We allow the essence of whatever we are working for to reveal itself to us in perfect form. If we feel it's appropriate to name a form, we always add: "its equivalent or better".

This is not praying. It is not supplications. It is the affirmation and trust of the microcosm/Macrocosm. It is taking pure responsibility without ego.

Saturday

The Greeks and Romans, as it is with Africans, believed that human
experience and destiny is controlled by supernatural forces. And that
the hand of fate can be cruel. Therefore, it is not far-fetched that a
moment of happiness would be the stage for a tragic event a celebration
of victory meshing into an occasion of sorrow.

One evening, a bus, van, lorry and cars carrying teachers and
students on their way back from a football tournament were mistaken for
a group of political agitators by a company of soldiers, who were
travelling in the opposite direction. The situation was not helped by
the tense political atmosphere at the time during these events unfolded.

It was 1964 and the relationship between the central
government and Buganda Kingdom was deteriorating. Ironically, Kabaka
Edward Muteesa was then ceremonial President of Uganda, while government
was headed by an executive Prime Minister, Apollo Milton Obote. What
transpired between the two men and the subsequent crisis is well
documented.

What happened on Entebbe Road on the evening of November 14
was probably a microcosm that could have been reflected in many other
incidents elsewhere in the country. Notes by Bro. Paul Bourget, the then
headmaster, and an account by Anthony Kyemwa (who?) provide a clearer
insight on what transpired.

The latter narrated thus: "During that time, there was
political unrest between the Central Government and Buganda Government.
Police had been stationed at Kibuye along Entebbe Road by the Central
Government. And these (the Police), on seeing people who were jubilating
and in a convoy of cars mistook it to be a politically motivated
development. The stationed policemen informed the army at Entebbe about
the developments, and, a force to crash those who were jubilating was
sent leading to the accident, which claimed the students' lives."

The headmaster elaborate further: "Shortly past 7.30pm, staff
and students of St Mary's College Kisubi (SMACK) were travelling from
Muteesa II Stadium at Wankulukuku, in Kampala, after beating St Henry's
College Kitovu, 2-0, to win the Buganda Senior Cup Finals. At about 12
miles from Kampala, where Kisubi High School is located, the school
lorry was hit by the second of two army vehicles that were speeding in
the direction of the city from Entebbe. At high speed with full lights
on, and well in the middle of the road, the impact of the army vehicle
made the school lorry skid off the road.

Upon being hit, the occupants of the lorry were projected
over the top and then to the tarmac as the lorry fell on its side. When
the driver emerged from the cabin, he panicked because the soldiers had
threatened to shoot him. However, he went straight to Entebbe Police
Station to report.
The driver of the army truck, which was ahead and containing
approximately 20 soldiers, drove back to the scene. The soldiers' lorry,
which had caused the accident, had fallen on its side across the road.
Bodies of dead students were on the road while the injured students lay
in agony.

The army men refused to help with first aid equipment or to
transport the injured when requested. As if this was not bad enough, a
soldier was seen hitting one of the wounded boys, who eventually died.
Another soldier was seen with his foot on the chest of another
schoolboy. It is such treatment that accelerated their death. Two
students died on arrival at Entebbe Hospital.

Meanwhile, Bro Edward Musoke and the Head Prefect George
Bamuturaki, who had been in the driver's cabin of the school lorry,
moved to start rescue work. But they were instructed by the soldiers to
leave the bodies alone. They pointed their rifles at him. With his hands
up, he pleaded with the soldiers to let him carry on the rescue work.
Incidentally, people who wanted to help the injured were also told off
at gunpoint.

Shortly afterwards, the bus with the other students arrived
at the spot. They were jubilating only to be taken by surprise at the
sight before them. One of them, C. B. Kaliisa reported: "We peeped
through the windows to find out what had happened. As it was dark, we
could only see the two lorries, which had overturned. As soon as one of
us discovered that it was our lorry, which had been involved in the
accident, unanimous cries rang out. As we rushed out, we were stunned at
the sight of horror. We picked up courage and ran to help our brothers
in agony. There were streams of blood over the tarmac, scattered shoes
of the victims, and fragmented pieces from the lorry body. It was hard
to stop tears streaming down. The students who had fallen on the tarmac
were already dead, while those that had been thrown on the sides of the
road and into the bushes were struggling."

It is said the soldiers had tried to crash into other school
vehicles, which were in front of the lorry that actually got an
accident. So, this clearly shows the motive prior to the actual
accident.

At the college, Bro Paul Bourget secured all available cars
and appointed staff members to carry the bodies of the dead from the
mortuary at Mulago hospital to their respective home areas. They were
accompanied by security personnel to help counter any eventualities as
some parents had not known about the tragedy and were to receive the
news with the delivery of the body.

On November 16, a requiem mass was held to pray for the
departed at Kisubi parish church. It was attended by an estimated 2,000
people who included government officials, representatives of various
religions, medical and educational institutions, students and staff of
SMACK.

Since 1964, every year a memorial mass has been held on
November 14 for those 12 students who died and the othersstudents, staff
and alumniwho have passed on. Today is the 50th anniversary.

Survivors
One of the survivors of that 1964 incident is Eng JB
Walusimbi, former Chairman SMACK Board of Governors and Katikkiro of
Buganda kingdom. John Baptist Semanobe, one-time Fufa president, and
Ambassador Tomusange, scorers of the two goals that won the football
tournament, were in the other vehicles. The others who were injured but
later recovered are: Edward F. Kyewalyanga, Anthony Gomes, John
Kaboggoza, Augustino Makubuya, Ssengendo Waswa, Gerald Tamale, Gerald
Serunkuma, Bernardine Olwoch, William Okirima, Marino Omoro, Rustico
Ggayi, Thadeo Babiiha, G. W. Bamuturaki, Teofilo Ocang, Bro. Edward
Musoke, J. C. Kyaterekera, G. W. Kakande, G. W. Kamussime and Peter
Suubi.

Short biographies of the 12 students that died in the accident

Michael Owot (22)
He was born in 1942 in Gulu and had his primary and some
secondary education at Gulu. In 1956, he was admitted to St. Mary's
College Kisubi in S1, but his stay was short lived because of financial
problems. He left and joined Fatima Primary Teachers' Training College
qualifying as a Primary Teacher. He taught for a year, and went to Ngora
T.T.C for upgrading. In 1963, he was re-admitted to SMACK in S3. He
died a week before sitting for his Senior Cambridge Exams.

Francis Bbosa (18) S3.
Born in 1946 in Busujju. Lost his father when he was five
years old, and his poor mother took to care for him. In 1962, he was
admitted to SMACK.

Egidio Obella (18) - S3.
Born on August 16, 1947. He was the eldest in his family. He
was from Atutur, Kumi County. His father Faustino Iyama was a tailor in
Bukedea and Kumi. In 1962, he was admitted at SMACK. He ranked among the
brightest students in his class.

Philip K. Kirumira (19) S3.
Son of Mr John Kibirige of Lyantonde village, Kabula County.
He was born in 1944. Had his primary and junior secondary at Rubaga. In
1961 he was admitted at SMACK.

Joseph Yawe (19) S2.
Yawe was kind, obedient, jolly, generous, honest, tolerant,
simple, cooperative and friendly. He was indeed an intelligent person.
He was the overall best student in Singo County in PLE.

Romano K.K. Nsobya (18) - S2.
He was born in the County of Gomba at Bukalagi in 1946. He
was the first born of his family. On completion of primary six in
Bukalagi, he joined Savio Junior Secondary School, during which time he
was head prefect at the school. He joined SMACK in 1963.

Moris J. K. Kitimbo (18) - S2.
He was born on September 22, 1945 at Kamuli Mission. He was
good at volley ball, hockey and swimming. He sat for his senior entrance
exams in November 1961 and joined St. Mary's College in 1962. He proved
very religious minded. He was member of Y.C.S, the Chapel Choir, The
Music Society and altar boy.

M.M. Victor Kagaba (16) - S1. Was from Kigezi District. He
was simple, cheerful and many students loved him. He had funny jokes
with the tutors and was polite as well as obedient to them. The senior
one class lost one of its cheerful, good-mannered and well-behaved boy.

Jack. Vincent Oryema (16) - S1. Was son of Mr Cirilo Olange a
Police Constable at Mbale. By the time of his death, he was 16 years.
He was accepted at St. Mary's in 1964. During his ten months stay at
SMACK, he was pleasant, co-operative, kind, and a lover of music.

Remigio Ssemakula (18) - S1. Born at Kiweesa village about 20
miles from Masaka town. He started his studies late, but managed to
pull through. In 1964, he was among the 33 students from Savio who were
admitted to SMACK. He had courage and concern about the welfare of
others, which he practiced even at his last hour when he helped some of
his companions who were involved in the accident before he succumbed to
his injuries.

John Kayira (14) - S1.
He was 14 years when he died. He attended primary at Kamodo
in Teso and after six years, he joined Savio School. He was granted a
State Scholarship by the Uganda Government. Kayira used to call friends
by their nicknames and had given himself the name 'Electric Boy', and
one time he tried to make an Electric bell.

Ladislaos Kamya (18) - S1. He was 18 years by the time of his
death. He was born in Ssese Islands on Buggala Island, near the
Sub-county headquarters.

Thursday

The government office investigating UFOs in Chile has
released an analysis of two high quality photos showing what appear be
genuine unidentified flying objects above a copper mine in that country. They actually have a committee who studies this shit: The Committee for the Studies of Anomalous
Aerial Phenomena (CEFAA). It is responsible for the analysis of selected
reports of unexplained aerial phenomena in Chilean airspace, most of
them from pilots and aviation personnel.

The photos were taken at
the Collahuasi copper mine, more than 14,000 feet above sea level in the
Andean plateau in the far north of Chile. An extremely remote location
with low oxygen levels and unusually clear skies, the area is desolate
and inhospitable. The Collahuasi mine produces copper concentrate,
copper cathodes and molybdenum concentrate from three open-pit mineral
deposits.

Four
technicians - professionals specializing in electricity, electronics,
and fluid control - were working there in April, 2013. They witnessed a
disc-shaped object which approached slowly and was present for more
than an hour, moving around in different positions and hovering at about
2000 feet. One technician took pictures with his Kenox Samsung S860
camera. The strange object made no sound, and eventually moved away
towards the East.

The witnesses decided not to tell anybody
because of the negative associations they had with UFO sightings, and
therefore had every intention of always keeping the sighting private.
But some months later, the photographer casually showed the pictures to
the chief engineer at the mine, who asked for copies. The engineer sent
the images to the CEFAA and provided the agency with
information reported to him by the witnesses. He too has requested
anonymity.

The
report states that the witnesses described the phenomenon as "a
flattened disc, of brilliant color, with a diameter of 5 to 10 meters
[16 to 32 feet]. It performed ascending, descending and horizontal
movements in short lengths, about 600 meters above the ground." The
witnesses had the impression that the object was under intelligent
control.

The
first image, enlarged and filtered, shows a solid object reflecting the
sunlight, the report states. It adds that the object could be emitting
it's own energy as well, due to the high temperature shown in the image
(the black area).

The study concludes that "It is an object or phenomenon of great interest, and it can be qualified as a UFO."

Clairvoyant Beauty greets the holiday season with two new candle offerings. The Vetiver Lemongrass Bergamot or Gardenia candles are hand-crafted with essential oils and use biodegradable soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks. Use Vetiver Lemongrass Bergamot to de-stress. The floral scented Gardenia is reminiscent of a warm beach and tropical air. Available for $39 at www.clairvoyantbeauty.com.

HAPPY FEET

Swedish lifestyle brand Happy Socks also now offers a collection of underwear to match their colorful line of socks. The collection includes boxers and boxer briefs for men and briefs for women. The underwear comes in six different patterns and 15 colors. Underwear is $12-$20. Socks start at $12. There is also a new line of socks for kids starting at $10. Get them all at www.happysocks.com.

STAY PUT SHADOWS

Anastasia Beverly Hills launches Waterproof Creme Color which is part creme, part gel, and it won't crease or smudge. The super-pigmented waterproof eye color is long-wearing and comes in sparkle shades and opaque colors. The formula is ideal for oily skin and humid climates. Use it as a base for shadow, as liner or a shadow with primer benefits. It is best applied with a liner brush. Waterproof Creme Colors retail for $18 each on AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com.

Friday

A few weeks ago we reported how a UFO photobombed a NASA video. Well, it happened again, this time there is no doubt something is out there. Watch the video below as it slowly fades in and then fades out. Of course, NASA is saying nothing.

Thursday

THE soul is all that matters. Every person is created in the image of God. He is body and soulcorporeal and spiritual. In Genesis 2:7 this reality is expressed: "The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground, and blew into his nostrils, the breath of life, and so man became a living being." At baptism, the Holy Spirit fills the spiritual vacuum in the soul caused by original sin.

This divine life, called sanctifying grace, is snapped by deliberate rejection and willful disobedience of God through mortal sin, and can be regained through the sacrament of penance. Death is the end of man's life on earth. Man will "not return to other earthly lives." The soul is separated from the body and will receive a particular judgement.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), 1022, states: "Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his deatheither entrance into the blessedness of heaven immediately or through a purification or immediate and everlasting damnation." The word saint is derived from sanctus, a Latin word for holy. Thus, every Christian, united with Christ in baptism, in the original meaning of the word is considered a saint.

All are called to be saint During the early Christian communities, Saint Paul called all followers of Christ saints. He speaks of "saints at work" in Ephesus 1:1 and saints in Achaia in 2 Corinthians 1:1. In the "Apostles Creed," the phrase "communion of saints" infers a fellowship and interconnectedness among all souls where the Holy Spirit dwells. These include souls in heaven, the triumphant church; souls in purgatory, the suffering church; and the souls of the living on earth, the pilgrim church. The Church honors the holy people in heaven on All Saints' Day. These saints are specifically honored, too, on their feast days. The Church honors as well "the little people: those obscure, uncanonized, unbeatified, uncelebrated and anonymous saints" who will never be named in the liturgical calendar.

But these residents of heaven, according to Fr. Nil Guillemette in The Cedars of Lebanon "knew how to love, accepted to die day by day to their natural selfishness and who, through the ordinary tasks of an ordinary life, lived with extraordinary beauty The loves of the saints can be the models of Christian. Mother Angelica, the Franciscan nun who founded Eternal Word Television (EWTN), the largest Catholic television network, would often say, "We are all called to be saints. Do not miss this opportunity. Souls in purgatory

Because of the spiritual nature of the soul, it craves with indescribable longing for God, but the desire is unsatisfied, aware that it has to be purified in a place called purgatory.

Mother Church considers the souls in purgatory poor and holy. They are poor because they cannot see God and cannot help themselves. They are holy because they can no longer commit sin and are fully aware heaven awaits them. The living can pray for the souls in purgatory, make the Way of the Cross, give alms and do works of charity. To pray and offer expiatory sufferings for them is the "highest act of supernatural charity." Souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves but they can pray for the living. The Doctrine of Purgatory was formulated by the Catholic Church in the Councils of Florence and Trent in reference to scriptural texts which "speaks of cleansing fire to attain the beatific vision of God," according to the CCC, 10311032.

Beatific vision in the words of Leo J. Trese in Faith Explained is "God possessing the soul and the soul possessing God in a unity so ravishingly complete as to be infinitely beyond the ecstacy of the most perfect human marriage. . . so shattering as to annihilate the soul, if God Himself did not give the soul the strength it needs to endure the happiness that is God." Saints and spiritual writers stress that the souls themselves decide their "voluntary punitive reparation to restore friendship with God." The fires in purgatory is "equal to the fires of hell," Saint Thomas of Aquinas declares. And contact with the fires is "more dreadful than all sufferings of this earth." Saint Augustine elucidates, the fire is "more penetrating, more dreadful than anything we can see, or feel, or conceive in this life." The Holy church remembers the suffering souls in purgatory: "Welcome into your kingdom our departed brothers and sisters, and all who have left in this world on your friendship," is a prayer said in every Mass.

Prayer for souls in purgatory This prayers, as revealed to Saint Gertrude releases 10,000 souls in purgatory everytime it is recited: "Eternal Father, I offer thee the most Precious Blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the souls in purgatory for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my home and within my family. Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris College, Laguna.https://archive.org/details/WolfBlood1925

Wednesday

The only law of witchcraft is The Threefold Law:Everything you do comes back to you three times.Earth Magic works Threefold:The Work is stated and performed in the World of Form,It goes out into the Invisible World,And comes back to manifest in the World of Form.All work is for the good of all onlyAnd according to free will--Thus harming none.

One cannot be a witch "part-time." By definition, witchcraft is a way of life and permeates all of life. A witch lives by these Principles all through every chosen witchcraft lifetime, away and asleep, in work, in deed, in thought, and in intent.

This means: no cursing, no harming. This means: no stated negatives, and all negatives taken out of The Law. (The Law of Cause and Effect.)

This does not mean to deny the Dark. We acknowledge the dark, use the dark positively, strip it of all negative power, transcend it, and Turn it To Good.

Monday

Pope Alexander VI (1431 - 1503) divided the Atlantic in half in his famous bull giving most of the western New World to the Spaniards and Africa to the Portuguese. He also found time for women.

Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia (soon to be Pope Alexander VI) was fifty-seven years old when he chose gorgeous fifteen-year-old Giulia Farnese as his mistress in 1489. She had spectacular long golder hair which in a few years would reach all the way to the marble floors of the Vatican. Giulia was already married to Orsino Orsini. "He was a good husband," states papal antihistorian E. R. Chamberlin. "He was blind in one eye, he knew how to wink with the other."

It became an open secret in Rome that the pope had chosen this giddy, joyous, spectacularly beautiful teenager as his mistress. Her friends called her "La Bella"; the people dubbed her the "Bride of Christ." To call it an "open secret" is perhaps too cautious; everyone knew, and very few cared -- except the pope's master-of-ceremonies, a German, Johann Burchard, who kept a diary that has survived. "From the greatest to the least," wrote Burchard of the top church officials in 1491, "they took on concubines in the fashion of marriage, and indeed they did this publicly." He added: "Unless God provides, this corruption will spread to monks and those in religious orders, although the convents of Rome have almost become all brothels even now, since no one forbids it."

In these modern days of reputable papacy, whose temporal power controls an area the size of a college campus, it is very difficult to get a handle on these Renaissance popes.

They fought wars, had mistresses, fathered bastards, sold Church offices, and yet at the same time mouthed pieties. This was accepted behavior.

Borgia; Giulia was not skulking in the corners, but dazzling in the front of the wedding party. Lucrezia, whose long white gown's train was borne by a young black, entered the appointed room in the papal palace, and Giulia Farnese and 150 other women followed her to where the pope sat on the great papal throne with eleven cardinals. the doors were shut for about an hour to the male wedding guests. Burchard -- a stickler for protocol -- records of the women that "despite my admonishments, none of them genuflected, except for the pope's daughter and a few others close to her." He adds, though, that later when the pope's son kissed his father's foot, all the 150 women followed suit, performing the traditional greeting of kissing the cross on the papal slipper.

The men were allowed to enter about halfway through the ceremony, which ended with a huge celebration. The pope offered up fifty silver urns of sweets, about one hundred pounds of expensive candy. A miffed Burchard reports that "for a sign of great happiness the candies were throuwn into the bosoms of many women, especially the beautiful ones," adding, testily, "and this was done for the honor and praise of God and the Roman church."

Giulia Farnese bore the pope two sons, which he acknowledged openly, and one of her descendants from their union became Pope Innocent X (in office 1644 - 1655). More immediately, her brother Alessandro Farnese was made cardinal, and wags called him the "Petticoat Cardinal," that is, until he bacame Pope Paul III (in office 1534 -1549). Giula was portrayed in several religious paintings, including a Transfiguration by Raphael. Some scholars also contend that she was the model for the Virgin Mary painted by Pinturicchio in the papal apartments.

Sunday

A year ago, on the Vulture page of New York magazine, film critics David Edelstein and Bilge Ebiri picked their favorite horror films since Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," i.e., since 1980. Their list included such underseen and welcome titles as "The Descent"; an unusually strong franchise-starter (the first "Nightmare on Elm Street");, a standout George Romero addition to his own favorite genre ("Day of the Dead");, a ripping monster picture from a terrific director (Bong Joon-ho's "The Host"); and others I like nearly as much, plus a few I don't, or films that have become grindingly familiar totems of the popular culture ("The Silence of the Lambs," beautifully acted trash).

This week Ebiri wrote an addendum to that recently reposted list, explaining in detail why he and Edelstein went with David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" for their top slot.

Wait: "Mulholland Drive"? Dozens, hundreds of commenters wondered why Lynch's gloriously abstract tale of a Hollywood hopeful (Naomi Watts) and her increasingly embittered adventures in Awful-Land was even allowed to be considered for a horror list. After all, Ebiri writes, "It's not a slasher movie, it's not a monster flick, and there's no haunted house. The only zombies, ghosts, or vampires in it are of the metaphorical kind."

I love this pick. I love the film; it may be a squirrelly, cul-de-sac-ridden masterpiece, but it feels and unfolds and doubles back on itself like nothing else.

Only one shot could be characterized as standard horror material: the close-up, sudden and terrifying, of the specter lurking out in back of a Denny's type diner in sunny LA, out by the dumpster. What a weird place for a scare. But that's Lynch; while "Blue Velvet," his other masterwork, behaves more like a quasi-trackable murder mystery, with many noirish scenes taking place at night on the bad side of the town called Lumberton, "Mulholland Drive" pulls you into a series of elliptical dreams that make just enough sense to lodge in your subconscious. Where horror movies, whatever sort, belong.

Even in the hopelessly opaque "Lost Highway," there's a beautiful scene I find hard to shake. Bill Pullman's at a party. Across the room, a man in white-face makeup and an Eddie Munster haircut strolls over. It's Robert Blake, and in the three-minute sequence he does not blink once. Not once. See it on YouTube if you haven't seen it. See it again if you have.

Ever since "Eraserhead," my first midnight movie as a college freshman back in 1978, Lynch's images have stalked me, ruthlessly, making me laugh, making me depressed ("Wild at Heart" struck me as a self-derivative, half-hearted joke, and I've never seen it again), scaring me because you don't always know what's scary in the moment you're quietly freaking out at the way a reaction shot or a line reading lingers for an extra, mysterious second or two. The recent "Inland Empire" has those humans wearing rabbit heads. It also has Laura Dern, traumatized in close-up.

Happy Halloween. If you're going to curl up with a movie this weekend, make it something your neighbor won't be watching. Treat your subconscious to a nice little scramble and head toward "Mulholland Drive," the premier cinematic riddle of the 21st century and the last, best answer to the question "What price Hollywood?"

Saturday

Thursday

A UFO
on Mars was reportedly detected in an image provided by NASA online.
The image was taken by the Mars Exploration Opportunity Rover
Microscopic Imager and posted on the official website for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It appears to show a disc
or flying saucer hovering just above the surface of the Red Planet.

The caption says: "Microscopic Imager Non-linearized Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 654
of Opportunity's mission to Meridiani Planum at approximately
at approximately 12:03:49 Mars local solar time, Microscopic Imager
dust cover commanded to be CLOSED. NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS."

WTF! It should say, Run For Your Life, they're really here!!!

David Wilcock who does the show Wisdom Teaching on Gaiam TV and he says some governments are going to soon disclose that we have been visited by Aliens for years and they are our friends.

Wednesday

A UFO photo-bombed astronauts making repairs to the International Space Station (ISS)
earlier this month - setting off a wild frenzy of speculation online.

The
spooky incident happened on October 7, when Flight Engineers Reid
Wiseman of Nasa and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency
conducted a spacewalk outside the International Space Station to fix an
electrical problem.

According to the Examiner one possible explanation for the UFO is that it could be one of two resupply craft that visited the ISS. The
Space X Dragon ship arrived at the ISS on September 23 and that space
ship was followed up two days later by a Soyuz TMA 14M craft that
brought three new crew members. However, both the craft are currently docked with the ISS and the UFO in the video appears not to be attached to the ISS.

A more likely explanation than a craft piloted by beings from another planet observing human astronauts is that light could have easily bounced off the ISS and refracted onto the camera. But then,
observers have pointed out that there doesn't seem to be a strong
source of light near to the astronauts when the UFO is seen.

This may rule out lens-flare and keeps the object confirmed as a genuine UFO.

Friday

Active regions on the sun combined to look
something like a jack-o-lantern’s face on Oct. 8, 2014. The active
regions appear brighter because those are areas that emit more light and
energy — markers of an intense and complex set of magnetic fields
hovering in the sun’s atmosphere, the corona. This image blends together
two sets of wavelengths at 171 and 193 Angstroms, typically colorized
in gold and yellow, to create a particularly Halloween-like appearance.
(NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center)

Wednesday

I visited one of my favorite local cemeteries yesterday to see if I could get better footage of a spirit I once captured in the corner of my video walking away (see The Ghost of Bonnie Video). This is a local cemetery in Dallas and definitely has some kind of spirit activity, I’m just not sure what. Part of me thinks it might be a hangout for local Satan worshipers based on the Pentagrams I saw laying around half burnt candles. Well, yesterday’s visit didn’t do much to change this hunch. I was on my Motorcycle and for one, the camera I brought wouldn’t work. It just was shot. I tried using my iPhone and didn’t have enough memory to capture but the first few minutes. Anyway, I walked around the bush that I saw the pasty-fleshed spirit walking and what do I see in the distance. Two doberman pinchers. They looked young so I wasn’t worried. They were hanging around a grave. When they saw me I got the willies. I mean, they looked at me motionless for what seemed eternity. Well, not having a car to run to for safety, and remember the only motorcycle accident I had ever had was avoiding a dog trying to get at my leg, I decided I wouldn’t chance it (not to mention I didn’t have a camera to record it). So, I got on my motorcycle and drove around the graveyard to get a different look at the dogs. And I did. However, there wasn’t just two, there were many. And not just doberman pinchers: there were a few shaggy rottweilers and one shaggy black dog that could have been chiseled out of a Renaissance sculpture. One of the hounds was actually standing on its back legs on a tombstone as if talking to it. It was a pack and they started barking and slowly making there way to me as if saying to themselves, "Is he really waiting for us?" Well, no I wasn't: and yes, I accelerated away quickly. They could have easily caught me but seemed content scaring the shit out of me. What was really crazy though, and maybe can be attributed to an overhead Jet and my screaming Suzuki 250, I heard a kind of laughter. Needless to say I will be returning today with new cameras. So stay tuned for an update, until then, here are some things I researched on the subject of dogs at a graveyard. Enjoy... Saaaaa... Zuuuu... Keeeeeeee....

Of course, the dog is one of the earliest animals to be domesticated by humans along with pigs and cattle; the dog, however, tended to function as a companion rather than as livestock. In some Native American lore the dog was originally supposed to have been a human, who was transformed into an animal because of his misdeeds (usually of a sexual nature) and still retains some human understanding and sympathies. In the Middle East and much of European lore the dog is portrayed as an outcast, a dangerous scavenger. In mythology, Cerberus was the hound guarding hell who was overcome by Heracles. Yes, the hellhound, a supernatural dog who is assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds… Saaaa... Zuuuuuuuu... Keeeeeeeee....

Friday

I watched an episode of Hercule Poirot last night and in this particular episode, there was a woman who used a voodoo doll to cast a spell on woman she hated. Well, this is very dangerous for one to do for as we all know, spells come back to us in threes. And yes, this particular woman is murdered by the killer which really is a useless murder in the plot of the story. So, as we have stated before, Hercule Poirot is an occult friendly crime solver -- or at least Agatha Christie was. This, however, is not a post on Poirot, but on the the very simple magic we know as a voodoo doll.

What a voodoo doll represents is a simple form of magic known as “Sympathetic Magic” — be still my beating heart: I love the sound of those words together. But I digress. And, Sympathetic Magic is the form of magic between two objects or operations whereas, by altering or performing one the magician hopes to influence the other. Hence, if an image of one’s own enemy modeled in wood, wax, or even drawn in sand is injured, a corresponding injury will afflict that enemy. Similarly, doors are opened in the house of confinement to ease the child’s delivery. Such practices, which are widespread and varied, are also known as imitative magic. Sometimes the sympathetic link between objects is one of proximity or possession — contagious magic. An object closely connected to a person, such as a lock of hair or an article of clothing, can be used in spells against them too, just remember, if the intent is aggressive, it will most certainly not be a good idea for your karma. And so, my suggestion is to let the natural laws of the universe handle it. You’ll be much better off. However, if a person is a real threat in your life, say, an abusive husband, black-mailer, etc., well, stick a fucking pin in them, now!

Friday

The perplexing symbol appeared on Google's online map of a remote region of Kazakhstan.

While some undeniably strange things have turned up on Google Earth
over the years, the discovery of a large five-sided pentagram near the
village of Aktau in Kazakhstan is proving to be one of the most
perplexing.

The symbol is approximately 200m in diameter and
appears to be made up from several criss-crossing tracks etched in to
the ground. Some believe that the pentagram's mysterious appearance
holds superstitious significance.

It isn't the first pentagram to
be discovered in the region either, earlier this year another was
discovered 12 miles from the town of Lisakovsk.

At the time, one
of the most prominent theories originated from pilot Kurt Yates who
claimed that the shape was an abandoned surface to air missile site from
the Soviet era. Archeologist Emma Usmanova later contested this idea,
instead claiming that it was one of many parks from the 1970s that were
designed in the shape of a star.

With no definitive explanation
forthcoming however it is likely that Kazakhstan's enigmatic pentagrams
will continue to remain a mystery for some time to come.

That's how a criminal complaint describes Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, the two twelve-year old girls accused of carrying out a plot to kill a classmate, stabbing her 19 times, and offering as a motive their desire to please Slender Man — even go live with him in a mansion in a national forest.

"Slender Man" is a modern Folklore if you will. For those who have kids you know of him. The creeps who offer you candy from a black car are always slender, or fat and bald, but hey, it's fiction.

The paranormal websites that inspired the girls is "Creepypasta."

An administrator of the website posted a lengthy statement Tuesday, saying they do not condone violence.

"I think that most of you will understand when I say it's hard to justify pinning blame on an entire genre of writing," the admin, who didn't sign the post, wrote.

"Unless you're okay with blaming the world's ills on Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft, I don't believe that it makes sense to say paranormal writing or an interest in the macabre should be blamed or even used as an indicator of a "sick" person (as a few emails have already felt the need to call both myself and all the authors here). The human race has long held and encouraged a fascination with things that go bump in the night."

Saturday

Nursery song and Children's Game, popular in Britain and North America. The song tells how the bridge is falling down and must be mended; various materials are suggested and rejected, then a 'victim' is chosen at random as the two leaders bring their linked arms down around the one who is passing beneath their arch as the song finishes. In early versions of the game the 'prisoner' had to pay a forfeit, and many scholars have proposed that the song recalls ancient sacrificial rituals of bridge-building -- a bridge was not believed to be secure until a death had been offered to it.

Wednesday

Ghost Hunt- going to a place where there have been no sightings of ghosts and trying to
catch some on film (video and photos), sounds, eyewitness, etc. (graveyards are the
number one place to start, churches, schools and older buildings too) Ghost Investigation- going to a known haunted place and recording data (video, photos,
audio, temperatures), notes, interviews and other evidence to prove/disprove the haunting
and to assist the owners and the spirits in moving on and leaving the place if they want
that. The assistance can be either you directly assisting the owner with the situation or
putting them in contact with experienced groups or individuals that will try to resolve the
situation. Your assistance can be something as simple as educating them on what is going
on and their options. What you may encounter:
There are generally two types of spirits you may encounter. One was a human at one time
and it has remained on this level for some reason. It may not know it's dead, may be held
here by unfinished business, guilt, etc. These spirits are like the person was when they
were alive, so they could be good or bad, just like the living, but not normally dangerous.
This human spirit is the type you will encounter 95% of the time. You could also witness
a residual haunting which is just a playback of a past event. This is just like watching a
video from the past playing over and over. The other types of spirit you may encounter
were never human and are generally bad news. You must be aware of this type but not
obsessed with them, the chances that you will encounter them in a regular ghost hunt are
slim. I have experienced both types and I just want to make you aware of their existence.
So be aware and protect yourself and you should have no problem. Types of HauntingThe first type of haunting is exactly like a video playback of a historic or tragic event.
This is called a residual haunting. The event unfolds in front of you and there is no
interaction between you and the ghosts. They seem to not notice you and go through the
motions of the event that occurred in the past. This event has been imprinted on the area
or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. The ghosts that you see
in this type are not earthbound spirits; they are just visual playbacks. Since everything is
made up of energy, the theory is that some of the energy from an event can be recorded
by certain materials and played back when the atmosphere triggers it. Remember that
video and audiotape is just oxidized (rust) film that enables the images and sounds to
"stick" to it. This type may be frightening when you see it, but you are in no danger so
enjoy the experience.The second type of haunting is an interactive spirit that manifests in many ways. You
may see a full bodied or partial bodied apparition. More frequently than that, you may
here voices, music, footsteps, etc. You may also smell odors which sources cannot be
found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes). You may also see orbs, mists and other
light effects. You may feel touches, cold spots, and other light physical contact. This
ghost is the spirit of a deceased human being. They may be stuck here (earthbound) for
reasons such as tragic sudden death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business. They
also could be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message. These human
spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil.
Think of all the people you know, probably a bit of good and bad, some worse than
others. This type can cause some scary situations but you must think about the situation
they are in, you don't see them but they see you. They will try to get your attention any
way they can. Many times this is the terrifying event people will write to me about like
the lights going on and off, items moving, noises, etc. For the most part these are just
attention getters and nothing more. There are a few more mischievous human spirits that
will do these things to bother you and scare you on purpose. They may just be a prankster
or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home.
They have all the same motivations you and I would have. These human spirits account
for a majority of the haunting we encounter and are relatively harmless. Yes, there are
extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the
norm and is rare. The third type of ghost you may encounter is not a rare one, but is rare that they interact
with the living. They are non-human spirits, commonly known as demons and devils.
They are mentioned in the bible numerous places in both the old and new testaments.
People like Ed and Lorraine Warren have been dealing with this type of spirit for years.
This type is dangerous and can cause you harm. I believe that if there is good, there must
be a counter balance, evil. These non-human spirits often disguise themselves and
friendly and helpful human spirits. They often appear in cases dealing with Ouija boards,
black magic and satanic worship. This is why I recommend not trying to contact spirits
and doing ghost hunts without some understanding of what's out there. It's also why I
recommend you go with or learn from experienced people before hand. That way you can
ghost hunt with relative safety from these entities.